Proto by Laura Spinney

I'm fascinated by linguistics, but this book was a bit of a struggle for me.  I would like to think that the problem was that the book's level of expertise falls too far advanced for the lay person, while also too elementary for the specialist.

But the true problem lies in the fact that I just don't know enough about the topic to fully understand it.  My poor understanding of the geography of central Asia and eastern Europe, in particular, made it difficult to follow at times.  My lack of knowledge of pre-history, in the realm of anthropology, didn't help.

But still, my appreciation for the science of linguistics remains undiminished.  Its ability to track the movement of languages by the movement of people and their cultures (and vice versa) is truly remarkable, a topic I need to explore further as time permits.

The Rise & Fall of Alexandria (again!)

I've just re-read this book, and enjoyed it as least much as I did the first time back in 2008.

Perhaps the biggest difference with this second reading is that I've now visited so many more of the ancient sites referenced in the book, most notably across modern Turkey, including Byzantium/Constantinople, Ephesus, Pergamum, Didyma, Perge and more.  

Alexandria's prominence in the Hellenistic period also converges with that of Syracuse, which we will be visiting later this year on our trip through Sicily.  Many of the great thinkers of the era passed back and forth between those two great cities.

Glad to be taking this sojourn through the Hellenistic!

Seeking Sicily by John Keahey

As with The Leopard, great writing uncovers the secrets and nuances that help enrich my travel experiences.  And well-written travel essays are a part of that magic process for me.

While some such essays are too obscure and allegoric for me to fully appreciate, this one struck the right balance, with short, descriptive but easy to understand stories.

Keahey visited Sicily four times within one year, visiting it's largest cities and it's smallest villages, always uncovering people's stories from the past that help paint a touching, often painful, but culturally rich picture of this elusive island.  

The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa

I'm really learning that literature provides a powerful pathway to understanding a culture.  This was re-enforced with my reading of The Leopard, one of the most famous of Sicilian novels.

Set in the period following the unification of Italy and it's incorporation of Sicily as part of that new nation, it tells the heartfelt story of an aristocrat and his family enduring that transition.

Don Fabrizio - the patron of the Salinas family - watches Sicily's identity fade as it's swallowed by Italy, just as he endures his own fading identity and slow march to death.

It was beautifully told, a poignant story that will help me appreciate Sicily on a deeper level in our upcoming trip.

The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential by Zack Kass

AI really will be the next Renaissance, a point well made by Kass.

It's not just another powerful technology.  It's setting the stage for true transformation, and I couldn't be more optimistic about its potential.

Kass uses his personal experience of working with OpenAI to paint a picture of the possibilities in a variety of fields, including transportation, healthcare, education and the workplace.

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Probably my second favorite read by Stephen King, following The Stand.  Interestingly, I used AI to help pick Under The Dome, specifically querying which of King's books would I enjoy the most if The Stand was already my favorite.  AI pretty much nailed this one.

I've always favored long, epic works, of which King excels. Under The Dome tells the an epic story of a town in Maine that suddenly becomes covered in an impenetrable, clear dome.

What ensues for most of the book reminded my of Lord of the Flies, with otherwise normal humans turning on themselves.  It also felt a bit like Nazi Germany, with the town's leadership arming a police force of teenage boys to build power.

But in the end, the message landed in a different place, alluding to the behavior of everyday children who kill ants with a magnifying glass, or laughingly trap them in an antfarm.

It turns out that the dome was created by children from an extra-terrestrial civilization who are doing nothing but playing with humans in a small town on Earth.  Literally toying with us and laughing while doing it.

The message: Don't get your jollies by abusing weaker creatures.  And it's not enough to simply feel bad about such behavior; we must take action to eliminate it.

A worthy message for this animal welfare advocate.

Roots by Alex Haley

Such a tremendous book, a powerful read that took me by surprise.

The first surprise was the depth of the story - perhaps the first third of the book - taking place in Africa.  My American-centricity simply assumed the story would take place entirely in the US.  The detailed telling of young Kunta Kinte's life in the African village of Juffure showcased its vibrancy and humanity, and perhaps even its normalcy versus my preconceived notions.

The horror of Kunta's crossing on the slave-ship to America etched a deep transition into the story and the credibility of mankind.  It didn't surprise me, but the detailed unfolding and inhumanity of the journey was jarring.

Another surprise, however, was the ascendancy of the characters in the story through their development of skilled trades.  I expected the story to focus on the daily horrors of slavery in the fields.  Roots instead focuses on the lives of people like Kunta, a decades-long chauffeur for his master, George, a renowned cockfighter, and Tom, a highly skilled blacksmith.

I was also surprised how the story continued through the generations, starting with Kunta, but continuing through perhaps seven generations and ending with Alex Haley himself.  I didn't know the story was to end with the author, revealing Roots as the story of his own roots.

A highly impressive work whether you consider it a novel, a history, or a combination of the two.  It should be required reading for us all.